The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-04-01
A SISTERS SACRIFICE.

81 cannot meet you as stranger,
Miriam. Let the past be fOl gotten,
and tell me, how have you been all
these years u
"Well and happy"
~ am very glad to hear you say
that; but as ter me, l am lonely
old bachelor"
"What ! Are yO1 not married
yet, Richard I"
"No; nor do think | ever shall
be. | made up my mind to that
four years ago"
She renem bers vividly, AMI with
some sorrow, the time TO which he
alludes. She has not forgotten the
sudden faintness that came upon
her the morning after her wedding,
when she read Richard ID ans
name in the list of passengers who
had sailed that day for South Amer.
ica, and she knew full well who was
the cause of his going.
Not hat what she loved him.
On no; 10 he the wife OF Richard
Dean had been the one hope of her
life. Looking up to hlm as he
stands by her side brings back the
scenes of four years ago as 1t 1t
but yesterday, when walking on
tue beach, with the ocean Sohbing
and moaning at their feet, Richard
Dean had told her of his love, aud
what Il great JOY it would he to him
if she would be his wife.
Aud she remembers what an
unusual pallor WAS on the face of
her invalid sister, May, as she en-
tered her room that night, and,
sinking on "A low ottoman 1T her
feet, says: "Miridm, do you love
Richard Deanp ~
She clasped her aims around tue
neck OF her sister.
son, May"
"There, there! l need not have
asked you; | might have known
you did. Oh, Miriam, it will kill
me r
"Wby, May. DAZZLING, what is the
matter9 Do you not think he is
worthy of me 7"
"Oh, not that, Miriam. There,
let me hide my face in your lap and
will tell you. 81, too, love Rich
ard have loved him tor many
ears; and it is this that is wearing
my life out, for he does not love me.
1t is sou, Miriam, he would have
for. his vile, but promise me
you will never marry him. Oh.
how could you, knowing it would
be my death-blow I For it surely
wOuldn
How the love of Richard Kept
pleading in her heart, and how her
sisters voice kept pleading; "Prom'
ise me, promise me p
"Oh, / caunnOt, Mayn she said,
at last, or almost groaned, for there
was terrible Struggle going on IN
her big heart.
Then the pale face OF May grew
even more pallid, aud the thin
white hands that grasped her nerv-
ously in her excitement lOosened
their hold, and, with a low cry, sue
she sank tO the floor.
Then there arose in Miriam's
heart a prayer tor strength, and
when at length the balt-liteless girl
came slowly back to consciousness
sue whispered TO her: 81 promise
Max !" But the words pierced her
heart like sword. Aud so il was
that she accepted the hand OF Mich
oils Grant.
Time passed; May died, and
Miriam Grant was widow. She
had loved her husband; noble aud
good, always so tender with her,
how could she help iti And her
terrible grief at his death was no
mockery, although a good many |
enviOus tongues, whispered that
she only married NichVlas Grant I
for BIS. wealth. People thought |
him wealthy and SO be had been,
but it was the time of the great |
commercial crisis, and old establish
ed houses were falling one after /
another, and among them was
Eiebelas Grants.
This no doubt FASTENED his death,
for he could not tell the sad news
fe his Young wife, and so, after the ]
= = 49, 49, ..ovarna ovor. him aud